


Hero's Journey

by neverminetohold



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Time, Friendship, Humor, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Slash, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-14 02:10:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 4,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11773302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverminetohold/pseuds/neverminetohold
Summary: Revenge wasn't enough to keep Nyx going. It wasn't in him to become the kind of man Selena would have pitied -- or come to hate. He wasn't even sure what he had hoped to find in Insomnia, but falling in love with the Chosen King wouldn't have made the top of his list.





	1. Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [serenbach](https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenbach/gifts).



Nyx watched from the threshold as Pelna staggered past the militia detail on patrol, down the brightly lit main road, and out of sight.  
  
He stood there for a few more minutes, enjoying the mild summer night. The ocean breeze ruffled his hair, making the beads woven into it clink together. The moon was full, treating anyone who cared to look to a picture-perfect tropical island panorama, complete with palm trees, white beaches, and the sound of breaking waves.  
  
Nyx went back inside the bar and locked the front door, fighting against the rusty hinges and groaning wooden frame. Pocketing Pelna's confiscated car key, he began to clean up. Over the past six months he had developed a routine, so it took him less than an hour to count the cash, clean the kitchen, and refill the stocks...  
  
...while his esteemed business partner and so-called 'best friend' sat slumped over the corner table and snored like a Behemoth.  
  
"Way to leave me hanging, big guy."  
  
Libertus didn't so much as twitch. His latest cocktail creation had been in high demand all night, with Libertus feeling the need to 'taste test' every new batch until his pick-up lines had become so slurred that the ladies under Crowe's lead had dumped his ass out of harm's way to sober up.  
  
"Up and at 'em." Nyx kicked his crossed ankles hard enough to sting. "There's a bucket full of water with your name on it."  
  
"You wouldn't," Libertus mumbled through a groan, squinting against the light. "Can't you see I need my beauty sleep?"  
  
"Now that you mention it..."  
  
"Oh, ha ha. Very funny, asshole."  
  
Nyx flashed him an easy grin. "We've got a date with a Sahagin nest in a few hours, remember?"  
  
Still giggling, Libertus managed to sit up, if swaying and turning an interesting shade of green counted. "Right, the hunt. And then off we go, reporting for duty. Why are we doing this to ourselves?"  
  
Nyx shrugged, grabbing him by the elbow for support as Libertus tried and failed to find his feet. "Because we're young and need the gil."  
  
"Ain't that the sad truth."  
  
"Come on, you can crash on our couch."  
  
"Don't I always?"  
  
"Yeah, must be why mum's convinced she has two sons."  
  
With Libertus' arm slung over Nyx's shoulder, they staggered towards the back door. Good thing home wasn't far.


	2. Ruins

Having left the ruins of their hometown and the harbor behind, the convoy of pickup trucks followed the overgrown road that wound its way inland, seeking the promised safety behind Insomnia's Wall.  
  
Nyx was blind and deaf to the other survivors he sat wedged in between, that bumped into each other every time the driver stepped on the break. He didn't hear their crying.  
  
He was trapped in a memory so vivid that he felt the heat of flames wash over his skin, the sweat that soaked his militia uniform, the shock waves of explosions that made the ground rock underneath his feet. The high-pitched whine of Niff airships and report of guns rang in his ears.  
  
He had been so relieved when he had seen Selena in the chaos, safe and sound, if scared. Their house was gone, all that was left of it a smoking crater filled with burning rubble and the photos she clutched to her heaving chest. Their eyes had met.  
  
 _"Nyx, help Mother!"_  
  
She hadn't seen the MT rounding the corner of a crumbled wall. A silver gleam as its arm rose and split apart to reveal the built-in machine gun...  
  
 _"Selena, get down!"_  
  
Everything that had happened after was soft and hazy around the edges, like a nightmare unfolding: her body collapsing in a spray of blood and hair and bone, the screech of metal as he buried his kukri deep into the thin seam of the MT's armor. Then nothing, until Nyx had blinked against the sun that rose behind the silhouette of his mother. She had hugged him tight. He hadn't had the energy left to resist the pull of her ash-streaked arms.  
  
 _"Nyx! You're safe! Thank the Six! - Where is Selena? Where is your sister?!"_  
  
After one look at his face, she had known. _"Why?! Why didn't you --_  
  
She had covered her mouth with her hand so hard that her lips turned white, but his mind had filled in easily what she had thought, the accusation that narrowed her eyes into a piercing stare: _Why didn't you save her?!_


	3. Numb

Sitting on an empty barrel, Nyx tilted his head to watch the ripple of vibrant colors that washed across the clear blue sky. Radiating from the top of the Citadel's spire, the rhythm of each pulse was like a heartbeat.  
  
Looking at the world through a separating layer of glass. Going through the motions. Perhaps that was why Crowe and Libertus had begun to tread lightly around him, as if he were labeled 'Handle With Care'.  
  
Did that mean he had become fragile in their eyes - or a time bomb?  
  
They had arrived at the refugee camp three weeks ago. Not being wounded or ill, their first stop had been the hastily erected pavilion meant to serve as the registration center. Interviews, fingerprints, health screening, - the works. Status approved. New ID issued. Welcome to Insomnia. Except the West Gate remained closed to them. Temporarily, they had been assured. Just until everyone was registered and housing secured.  
  
Unlike Libertus, whose temper flared hot and quick with his hatred for the Niffs, Nyx didn't mind the delay. In fact, he sympathized. The Wall ensured peace and safety within its confines but its very existence also forced the Crown City to be self-sufficient despite limited resources and space. The sudden influx of hundreds of refugees was bound to upset the status quo.  
  
It was enough that they were willing to help despite having no obligation to do so. Having met the man ten years ago and owing him his life, Nyx had no doubt that King Regis was the driving force behind that decision.  
  
As for himself, he had tried to break through his shock and stupor, used the past few days to mourn, to piece himself back together after losing everything. And yet, he only felt hollow, to the point were getting up in the morning had turned into a chore.  
  
Having failed to save Selena, helpless to change her fate, what was there left to live and fight for?  
  
The world snapped back into focus as the soft murmur rising from the neat rows of tents was drowned out by high-pitched cheering and laughter. It came from further up ahead, the open space where people gathered to refill their water canisters and trade in ration cards for food and other necessities.  
  
He couldn't make out any details, but Nyx spotted a gaggle of young children gathered around a boy in a wheelchair. Selena may have been gone, but her wish remained. There were countless others who needed his protection. Securing a future for those that wished to see it, - that was worth dying for.  
  
Perhaps, if he survived long enough, it might even become worth living for...  
  
Nyx never noticed the man dressed in black who stopped beside him until he spoke, his tone soft with the fondness of a doting father. "My son, Noctis."  
  
King Regis himself, here, surrounded by his entourage of stone-faced guards and frowning advisers. He looked worn thin and gray, aged beyond his years, his knuckles white where he gripped his walking cane.  
  
Nyx cleared his dry throat and managed a bow. "Your Majesty."  
  
"Nyx Ulric. Would that we could have met again under circumstances less tragic than these," Regis said. "I am deeply sorry for your loss."  
  
"Thank you, Sir."  
  
Regis nodded, then studied him for a moment. "Tell me, what did you see, watching my son?"  
  
"The future."


	4. Duty

Nyx tossed the moist towel over the clothesline strung above his bed to dry and went back into the steam-filled bathroom. Hissing through clenched teeth, he fought against the lever and his own sore muscles until he managed to open the window. Noise and neon lights from the busy street four stories below spilled into his apartment, filling it with the chatter of people, upbeat music, and the smell of greasy fast food.  
  
Turning around, he tried to catch the right angle in the tiny, fogged-up mirror. Nyx probed the livid bruise blooming all over his shoulder. "Another one for the collection," he muttered, giving his battered reflection a wry grin. "Hang in there."  
  
The aptitude test tomorrow would decide his future: Crownsguard or Kingsglaive.  
  
At least he wasn't a nervous wreck about it like that new guy. He may have acted tough but anyone with eyes could see that Tredd had almost no fingernails left to gnaw on.  
  
Nyx got dressed. Three steps to the left and he stood in his kitchenette and pondered the contents of his single cupboard and half-empty fridge. Pulling out what was left of a pizza with extra cheese and hot pepperoni salami, he switched on the news channel and settled down in the only chair.  
  
Libertus called his place a shoebox, but with each passing day, the apartment felt less like a place to crash and more like home.  
  
Swallowing the last bite, he set the plate aside, washed the stale taste down with a mouthful of beer and picked up the pen that lay waiting beside the post-paid envelope with two-thirds of his salary.  
  
No longer feeling bitter, he simply added his mother's address, then put on his shoes and grabbed his jacket from the peg by the door.


	5. Glaive

After the formal ceremony, Nyx woke with a start in the medical wing. - They had been warned that this might happen. Entering into a covenant with those of royal blood was a shock to the system. He spent minutes lying in bed, regulating his breathing while his stomach churned, until a doctor showed up to ask him questions. That done he left, first for home to change, then on to Malbo Smul's Hut.  
  
He didn't remember much. The collar of his new uniform chafing, standing shoulder to shoulder with Luche and Libertus, shifting to parade rest. A multitude of voices echoing through the grand hall as they swore fealty...  
  
The ground rushing up to meet him and the soft tingling of crystal shards that glittered like broken glass. His heart beating too fast. A fire burning through his veins, choking him until all he could smell was his own singed flesh, the taste of ashes bitter on his tongue...  
  
Then nothing.  
  
Until he opened his eyes to this strange new world. The colors brighter, the details sharper, the air full of translucent currents of light and the keen, prickling awareness of others in the building who had also been blessed by the Crystal...  
  
Stopping beside the stairs leading down to Block C Nyx stared at his right hand. Turning his thoughts inwards, focusing on the steady pulse that was not his own heartbeat, he curled his fingers into a tight fist. Tiny flames without heat licked over his skin, flared up and died.  
  
Hope and a fighting chance. Nyx would never be able to repay his debt. But he would try.


	6. Friends

"Did you hear the latest story?"  
  
Libertus sighed and rolled his eyes. "The one where he gave Cor a cool down hug in front of the assembled Crownsguard? Or the one where he tried to climb a tree and nearly broke his neck?"  
  
"He's no longer ten." Crowe finished her beer and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. "Those are classics."  
  
"I just don't get why you're so obsessed with that pampered kid." Libertus dipped his meat skewer into the bowl with green sauce and took a huge bite. "I'm tempted to give him a piece of my mind every damn time I spot that sullen face of his."  
  
"As the saying goes, you should not judge the book by its cover," Pelna chided. "Just today I saw him slip Petra some bonbons."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Crownsguard, mostly on duty at the West Gate," Luche answered. "Word is he's struggling to break his smoking habit."  
  
"Oh, I see. So he's a saint now, not a grumpy kid with a chip the size of Ravatogh on his shoulder."  
  
"He's insecure, sensitive, and self-conscious," Crowe stated matter-of-fact. "A little too sheltered, but that's more the council's fault. I mean, future King of Lucis? No pressure, right?"  
  
Cheeks stuffed, Libertus snorted.  
  
"My point is," Crowe continued with a glare, "he's just trying to act tough and cool. - Nyx, help me out here."  
  
Nyx shrugged. "I think you've got his number."


	7. Violins

Sunlight flooded through the windows into the ballroom with its coffered ceiling and polished marble floor. Being on guard duty, Nyx stood by the door, paying an unusual amount of attention to a lesson not meant for him.  
  
The notes of a waltz drifted through the air. Prince Noctis and Lady Anthea swept through the room in a wide circle, turning, rising and falling like ocean waves in step with the beat - or at least that was the idea, but clearly, the future King of Lucis had been born without knee joints.  
  
"No, Your Highness," Lady Anthea said, in the steel-clad tone of a disappointed governess. "Lead with your body, not your arms."  
  
"I'm _trying_."  
  
"Ah!"  
  
They stumbled to a halt in the middle of a turn. Pulling away from their stiff embrace, Lady Anthea hitched up her dress to get a look at her shoe and toe.  
  
"I'm sorry," Noctis muttered, unable to meet her eyes. "Are you alright?"  
  
"I am fine," Lady Anthea said with a strained smile. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. - Let us continue."  
  
Ah, Her Ladyship Lavinia Anthea. A messenger descended from the astral realm. A supermodel. The future mother of his children. With her heart-shaped face and alabaster skin, those high cheekbones, red curls cascading over her slim shoulders. That willowy frame, those sparkling jade-green eyes. That dusting of freckles on her cute nose - plus that great ass and cleavage to die for...  
  
Later, Nyx heard all about it in excruciating detail and varying degrees of crude - from Tredd - and poetic - courtesy of Pelna - descriptions, since those two had returned to the barracks after six hours of monitor duty.  
  
It was a good thing that Luche and Libertus soon joined them, because that way, no one questioned Nyx's lack of opinion on the matter. It hadn't been Lady Anthea he had stared at all day long.


	8. Cheese

Nyx, dressed in his white gala uniform, stood waiting by the side entrance. The buzz of Insomnia's high society filtered through the wooden door. As the minutes passed, the murmur of their small talk trailed off into expectant silence. King Regis gave his formal address, followed by the clipped cadence of Camelia Claustra who, if the rumor mill could be believed, drove a hard bargain.  
  
Nyx checked the time and tapped his earpiece twice to contact Command. "Status?"  
  
The crackle of static, then, "ETA in 3."  
  
"That three hours or minutes, Pelna?"  
  
"Funny, Nyx."  
  
He had just signed off when the sound of quick footsteps drew closer. Prince Noctis rushed into view, dressed to the nines in a bespoke black suit that highlighted the color of his eyes and, unlike his casual wear, his lithe build.  
  
Nyx had to swallow twice before he managed to get out a proper greeting. "Your Highness."  
  
"Sorry I'm late," Noctis said, a little breathless, one hand busy adjusting his tie. "I hate this kind of thing."  
  
"I would never have guessed, Your Highness."  
  
Noctis crossed his arms, eyes sparking with mirth even though his stoic expression never wavered. "I'm sure you did, what with all the stalking."  
  
"All in the line of duty." Nyx opened the door to the grand ballroom. "Shall we, Sir?"  
  
Noctis didn't move. "Do I have to?"  
  
"I'm sure those dancing lessons will come in handy."  
  
"Well, you were there."  
  
"Look on the bright side. No one in their right mind will ask you twice."  
  
"Huh." Noctis fought a smile, shoulders relaxing. "Thanks, that... actually makes me feel a little better. Alright, let's find some toes to step on."  
  
You can step on mine any time, was on the tip of his tongue, but Nyx swallowed the cheese in one gulp. "That's the spirit, Your Highness."


	9. Surprise

Nyx twisted out of the way as crystal shards shrouded in fire exploded too close for comfort. He could feel the pressure and heat of displaced air wash over his skin as he warped, leaving that section of the training area behind. Reappearing in the wake of his weapon, he came back up on his feet with a roll. He wrinkled his nose and inspected his right sleeve. Dark wisps of smoke rose from the fabric. "That wasn't half bad."  
  
"You think?" Noctis tossed a kukri into the air, letting the blade spin end over end, then caught it with the flourish of a circus artist. "Lost something?"  
  
Nyx resisted the urge to reach for the sheath at the small of his back. He spread his hands in surrender. "What now, Your Highness?"  
  
"Dinner. At that place. The one in Block C," Noctis said in a rush. The tips of his ears turned red. "That is, if you want this back."  
  
Nyx couldn't move a muscle. Noctis coming on to him, it wasn't a possibility he had ever bothered to consider. He had been content to bury his ill-advised feelings - as he should. He was almost ten years older, a Glaive, a commoner...  
  
"Dinner it is," Nyx heard himself say. _Wait, what?!_  
  
"Great! It's a date."  
  
"Just out of curiosity - will your father kill me if he finds out?"  
  
"Nah. The Holy Triumvirate will get to you first," Noctis said with a wicked grin. That didn't sound too reassuring. Seeing Nyx's blank look he added, "You know. Uncle Drautos. Uncle Clarus. Uncle _Cor_."  
  
Nyx swallowed a wince. "... consider me motivated, Your Highness."  
  
"Relax, I'm just joking. And it's Noct."  
  
"... Noct."


	10. Happiness

Nyx woke to the boom of thunder and the warmth of the body he still held in a loose embrace. Strands of hair tickled his chin and fingers twitched against his chest. Mumbling sleepy nonsense, Noctis tried to burrow even closer.  
  
So that really happened. Nyx smiled, basking in the sensation of being a mess and the boneless contentment that went along with it. The magic was humming through his veins. Literally.  
  
He closed his eyes, tracing circles on Noctis' smooth skin with the lightest touch. He hadn't dreamed. In fact, it had been a long time since he had last heard Selena's voice.  
  
xxx  
  
They had stumbled inside, soaked through to the bone, with Nyx fretting about the crown prince of Lucis catching pneumonia in a passable Ignis impression that had made Noctis laugh.  
  
Between undressing and hunting for dry towels it had seemed a natural progression to kiss. It had been shy and sweet, almost chaste, as their lips touched for the first time. Nyx had felt the racing flutter of Noctis' heartbeat underneath the palm of his hand as he cupped his neck.  
  
Never pushing, Nyx had tried to entice him to follow his lead.  
  
He wasn't fond of remembering his own firsts, not that sloppy, fish sauce tasting kiss, nor that too rough and drunken tumble between the sheets with a woman five years his senior. Noctis deserved so much more. Growing confident by the second, that had been exactly what he had demanded from Nyx.


	11. Puzzle Pieces

Noctis got him addicted to King's Knight and Nyx ended up spreading the disease to all Kingsglaive below the age of 40. Fun times feat Captain Drautos.  
  
Turnabout being fair play, Nyx got Noctis hooked on Galahdian cuisine, especially extra hot sauce. - The best thing about it? After a long lecture Ignis had to grudgingly concede that, yes, considering its ingredients, green sauce _did_ count as a vegetable.  
  
He learned that Gladio was a little too single-minded when it came to keeping Noctis on track, which caused tension between Shield and Prince. Also? Cup Noodles were serious business. And women _really_ did dig Gladio's abs and biceps.  
  
They fought. No surprise at all, but not easily done either. Because they both were the type to listen and see the other side. They made up. Hmmm. Now that was the best part.  
  
Prompto was a snap-happy and cheerful kid, but just as insecure as Noctis in his own way. No wonder those two had hit it off. He was also a fiend in the arcade. And prone to falling in love with any 'goddess' that crossed his path. No, Crowe didn't kill him.  
  
Ignis was Team Mom. He always had Noctis' back. It was all Nyx needed to know. Well, that, and that stocking up on Ebony was a necessity.  
  
He told Noctis about Selena. His nightmares. The missions.  
  
Their ill-kept secret got out in no time and he met the parent over dinner. Let's just say that things were... awkward.  
  
 _He_ got the shovel talk from no less than six people. One of them was Cor Leonis. The Marshal didn't even say anything, just gave him a look. - Noctis, on the other hand, got away scot-free, except for Crowe offering him her heartfelt condolences.


	12. Hero

"King Regis did what he did for the future," Nyx said. "Because of him there's still hope for our homes."  
  
The light of a new dawn spilled over the horizon, revealing the ruin all around them, the rising columns of smoke, the husks of leveled skyscrapers, the crushed bodies of those that had failed to escape. The wind carried the distant sounds of panic and grief and marching MTs.  
  
"Hope..."  
  
Drautos shook his head, rejecting the idea with his last breath. The usual rebuke was left unsaid: wishful thinking will accomplish nothing.  
  
Nyx turned his back on him, numb to the physical pain that seared his flesh, even as his skin flaked away in thin layers of ash. The future he fought for was worth it. That alone was enough to outweigh his regrets.  
  
"Not the worst way to go. - Be safe, Noct."  
  
He blinked against the sun, caught the sudden movement of a small group of people that kicked up dust and staggered through the rubble in their haste to reach him. Their shapes were familiar. Who...?  
  
"Nyx!"  
  
The soft impact of a body that clung to him in a tight embrace, not painful but a relief so strong that it brought tears to his eyes, and horror and panic, because Noctis shouldn't be here, he _couldn't_ be here. It was too dangerous, Nyx had only managed to buy some time for Luna to escape, and how to explain that King Regis was dead, and the deal he had made...  
  
No. Calm down. This wasn't like him. Panicking. Fainting, taking the easy way out? Far too lame for a hero, right?  
  
He was dying. He had to say those three words with a smile.


	13. Survivor

Sitting in the back of the Regalia, slumped against the leather seat and the cool window pane, Nyx had no energy left to do more than watch and listen. That, and wonder how he was still alive. The wind should be scattering his ashes. Instead, he was healing. It hurt like a bitch and was slow going, but his arm was whole again. Scarred in a pattern that followed his veins, but the feeling had returned and he could move his fingers.  
  
His magic was back too, though the heartbeat that echoed his own was different. Stronger. Younger. Familiar.  
  
Perhaps lying amidst the rubble, he hadn't hallucinated Noctis arguing with empty air, kicking what was left of his ancestor's giant statue... If it _did_ happen, Nyx would have paid a lot of gil to see the faces of those high and mighty kings. -- Bet it wasn't every day that their great-great-whatever-grandchild ripped them a new one.  
  
He blinked, eyes dry and itching, until Hammerhead looked less blurred around the edges. The survivors of Insomnia's fall were busy turning the service station into a refugee camp, pitching tents, distributing supplies. The truck was gone. Cid and Cindy must have left while he dozed.  
  
"...it's fine," Prompto was saying. His smile looked a little wobbly and he was pale, but he seemed determined. "Really. I understand."  
  
"Good, because your role here is no less important than ours," Noctis said. "In fact, I don't envy you. I rather search for the royal arms and take the fight to Niflheim than face Cor or organize relief efforts."  
  
"I know. You really suck at PR."  
  
Both of them looked unhappy. But leaving Prompto behind was the smart thing to do. This wasn't a road trip anymore. He was a civilian. What chance would Prompto stand against Niffs, monsters, and daemons with only a crash course in self-defense under his belt?  
  
Nyx struggled to focus on the rest of their conversation, but his muscles were sore, his temples throbbed, and his eyelids had grown too heavy to resist the exhaustion that pulled him under.


	14. Future

Nyx woke as the wind tried to lift their tent, his right side colder than when he had drifted off. Noctis was sitting cross-legged on his sleeping bag, scratching the inside of his finger. "The self-control of a five-year-old, was it, Your Highness?"  
  
"It's itching," Noctis said in a deadpan voice, biting his lower lip in a mock pout. "And you love me anyway."  
  
"Always."  
  
"Love you too, Nyx."  
  
"I know. I can feel your heartbeat, remember?" Nyx called a small, flickering flame into being, just enough to illuminate their meager two square meters of so called privacy. "Let me see."  
  
Noctis crawled closer until Nyx could smell the lemon-scented soap and cheap detergent they used down by the river. They had dyed their hair and ditched the Regalia back at Hammerhead. Since then, they had been living rough, leaving the Haven only to forage. Good thing he was fit to travel again, - even someone with a passion for cooking like Ignis couldn't improve the taste of stale crackers, tubers, and fish.  
  
"Here."  
  
Nyx raised his palm and the flickering orange glow cupped in his hand chased the shadows away. The inside of Noctis' finger was red, the skin peeling off around the last thin scabs.  
  
"Almost healed."  
  
The twin lines and dots of their promise stood out in black ink, - not that the exact meaning of the tattoo would be clear to anyone not hailing from Galahd. Nyx leaned down and kissed the mark. "I swear, we will take it all back."  
  
"For hearth and home?"  
  
"For you."  
  
Noctis blushed but raised his chin. "Make that for all of us."  
  
Bringing the fight to the Niffs, gaining the approval of the Astrals, catching up to Luna, - they could all wait. A night like this, the two of them together? For Nyx, it would never be enough.


End file.
